Now You're Asking with Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn

The Middle Fingers Problem

Jan 9, 2024

Marian Keyes, multi award-winning writer, and Tara Flynn, actress and comedian, discuss topics such as dealing with rejection from family for being true to oneself, setting boundaries with a needy friend, the discomfort of wearing bras, and advocating for body freedom and self-acceptance.

28:30

Creator website

Episode guests

Marian Keyes

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Self-soothing behaviors are important for finding comfort in stressful times.

Setting boundaries and communicating honestly is crucial when dealing with a constantly venting friend.

Deep dives

Self-soothing and acceptance

The podcast discusses the importance of self-soothing and accepting self-comforting behaviors. They highlight that as long as these behaviors do not harm oneself or others, they can be necessary for finding comfort in stressful times.

Introduction

3min

Exploring the Concept of Self-Soothing and Society's Reaction

2min

Dealing with a Needy Friend

10min

The Pain of Rejection and the Importance of Acceptance

9min

The Discomfort and Necessity of Wearing Bras

2min

Embracing Body Freedom

3min

What do you do when you’re bisexual and rejected by your family, a parent worried about your son sucking his fingers, and someone whose friend brings you nothing but problems? These and many others have turned to radio’s warmest voices to get a little help. Rather wonderfully, this episode also includes the phrase ‘weaponised incompetence’ and the lasting image of a television festooned with an abandoned bra...

Marian Keyes is a multi award-winning writer, with a total of over 30 million of her books sold to date in 33 languages. Her close friend Tara Flynn is an actress, comedian and writer. Together, these two friends have been through a lot, and now want to use their considerable life experience to help solve your biggest - and smallest - of things that keep us awake at night.

Previous series were welcomed by listeners and critics: "Both are warm and kind enough to not only be funny but also offer genuinely thoughtful, if left-field, advice." (Miranda Sawyer, The Observer) "Keyes and Flynn are my new favourite double-act." (Jane Anderson - Radio Times) "I found their compassion endlessly soothing." (Rachel Cunliffe - The New Statesman)

Recorded in Dublin with emails received from listeners around the world.

Got a problem you want Marian and Tara to solve? Email: marianandtara@bbc.co.uk.

Producer: Steve Doherty. A Giddy Goat production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

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